Everyday is Exactly the Same
by Whitney Hale
Summary: Bella has been friends with Edward for years, and he wants her approval of his new girlfriend, Tanya. Little does he know that Bella is in love with him. Miscommunications, disasters, changes of heart, engagements, and all sorts of chaos ensues! AH AU
1. Foresaken

Chapter One.

_Kill! Kill! Kill!_- The Pierces

Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyers thought of these wonderful characters, I, however created this plot. _Woot!_

* * *

**B.**

Someone up there hates me.

They have to. There's no other possible explanation for why this has been forced on me. Why every time I try to fight it, it grows impossibly stronger, even more all consuming.

Someone up there must really fucking hate me, and my torture is some kind of sick, sadistic punishment.

_That must be it_.

I sat in a corner of my room, shooting rubber bands at the opposite wall, hitting invisible targets. I needed a reason for what I felt to exist. I thought somehow, if I had a reason, maybe, just maybe, this might be slightly more manageable. Or easier to ignore and end. I thought that I would feel better, but as I sat staring blankly at the wall, I knew I had been wrong. There was nothing in this holy world that could stop or ease what I felt. Nothing to stop this completely irrational, torturous, and absolutely crushing love I had for Edward– my totally unavailable and unattainable best friend.

My phone vibrating on the wood floor next to me brought me out of my brooding reverie.

_  
Bells, where are you?_

_We're here and waiting._

_-E_

Right. _Ugh._

I was supposed to be meeting the target of my aforementioned love for coffee and introduction to his latest _girlfriend_. I spat that last word in my mind like it was the dirtiest thing I'd ever thought.

_God_. If I couldn't even think about it without anger welling forth, how the hell was I supposed to get through meeting this girl without doing something drastic?

As I found myself fantasizing about spilling scalding hot coffee all over new-girl's carefully constructed, cutesy outfit, my phone buzzed again. Hmm, I'd have to save that thought for later. I could definitely pull that off, what with my inherent lack of grace and all. Tripping and accidentally spilling my coffee was totally believable.

_Seriously, hurry up._

_And remember to go easy on her._

_She's already nervous enough without you going 3__rd__ degree on her._

_-E_

Yeah. Right. Go easy on _her_.

No one was going easy on _me._

Begrudgingly, I shifted to my feet and made my way over to my full-length mirror to check my appearance. I wasn't by any standards vain, but it was important that I look presentable for this. I felt like a fish out of water in the navy low cut v-neck sweater and jean miniskirt that had been forced on me last Christmas. Renee had insisted that I would appreciate having something nice to wear to casual dress occasions. I'm sure meeting Edward's new girlfriend was exactly what she had in mind.

As satisfied with my unremarkable appearance as I was ever going to be, I grabbed my keys and headed out the door. _And to my impending doom_.

* * *

**E.**

Looking around the crowded coffee shop, I nervously waited for Bella to arrive. I glanced at my watch. It was almost two in the afternoon already. We were supposed to meet up at one-thirty.

A couple more minutes passed.

_Christ_.

Bella was chronically late for everything. I had once told her that she'd have to be the first one to die, so I could make sure she got to her funeral on time. That earned me a hard slap to the back of the head. I winced at the memory. Tanya noticed.

"Are you okay, sweetie?" she asked.

I nodded my head and mumbled something a slight headache, and that was all the confirmation she needed. She dove right back into the nervous, mindless prattle she had been at ever since the drive over here. At the moment, I was silently grateful for the fact Tanya wasn't one of those 'Are you listening to me, what'd I just say' types. Because, if she had asked, I honestly would not have been able to tell her. I was too wrapped up in wondering where Bella was, and almost certain anything Tanya was saying right now held no interest for me.

I glanced at my watch again.

2:05 PM.

Seriously? _What the hell was Bella doing?_

Usually girls run late because they're color-coordinating their outfit or meticulously straightening their hair, like Tanya. But no, not Bella. I knew for a fact it had nothing to do with being presentable with Bella. The girl's entire wardrobe consisted of t-shirts, sweatshirts, and jeans. Sure, they were all nice clothes, and she looked good in them, but it takes like seconds to throw them on. Nothing near the level of time it took Tanya to get dressed. No, with Bella, she just bummed around until the last possible second, and then rushed to get wherever she was going. In the ten years we'd been best friends, I'd not had any luck breaking her of this particular bad habit.

I really hoped Bella wasn't going to completely skip out on us. I wouldn't put it past her. But she knew how important this was to me. Bella had been away at school when Tanya and I had started dating, and almost five months later Bella had yet to meet her. Bella's opinion was the world to me when it came to girls. Never had she steered me wrong, and I'd been burned more than a few times when I hadn't heeded her advice. She was an excellent judge of character. Five minutes with Bella and she had you pegged. That was why it was so important that she actually show up for this.

I needed to know if I was wasting my time.

Horrible, I know. But if Tanya couldn't win over Bells, there really was no point in venturing further into the relationship. I couldn't have a girlfriend whom my best friend despised and didn't think was good for me. Sure, my parents, Carlisle and Esme, and my sister Alice, had met Tanya already, and given me the green light– but that was different. They weren't as critical as Bella and surely did not know me as well as her. Ten years of the closest kind of friendship a person can have definitely exposes things that no one else knows.

2:10 PM.

Tanya's nerves had calmed by now, and her incessant chatter had lulled. She actually seemed somewhat resolved, maybe even a little bit cocky. Oh no. If she kept that up, this was not going to go well.

* * *

**B.**

_Fuck_.

I was running almost an hour late. But it wasn't like I was still at my apartment or anything. I was sitting outside the coffee shop. Had been for some fifteen minutes now.

I couldn't bring myself to go in.

Surely new-girl would be an atrocious bitch, and then I would have to have _the talk_ with Edward about his newest choice in girlfriend, warning him of all her probable future crimes against him. Not to mention I'd have to see new-girl fawning all over him, all possessive, and shit. _Ugh._ My heart wrenched at the thought.

Maybe if I sat out here long enough, they would just leave, and I wouldn't have to deal with them today. The keyword being _today_. Edward wasn't going to let me get out of this indefinitely. And it really was important for me to meet her, because Edward had shit for people reading skills. This girl could have 'cheating, backstabbing skank' written across her forehead and he wouldn't know it.

He's ever the romantic optimist, seeing and loving only the best in people, while turning a blind eye to their less desirable qualities. Me, I'm the cynical realist. Sure, I'd like to believe the best in people, but it isn't always possible. People are generally varying amounts of bad, and one can't just walk through the world with rose-colored glasses, ignoring all the tragic flaws. That will get you seriously hurt and broken-hearted. But Edward did it anyway, and that was why he needed me. And I needed him. I protected him and his sweet gentility from all the soulless sluts that were constantly knocking on his door, while he attempted to show me that there really are some people besides himself who could be trusted.

_Ugh. Okay. Fine._

I took a deep breath, and headed inside the coffee shop. Edward needed me, and I always had his back. She had better be worth it.

* * *

A/N:_ This is my first story ever! Woot!_ I _spent __a lot_ time reading ffs before I finally got up enough nerve to write my own, thanks to my amazing ladies, **Foolish Eyes** and **twiobsession14**. Go check them out if you haven't heard of them.

There's a lovely little button beneath this. It's green and gorgeous and you should click it and leave me a review to let me know how I'm doing and if you like the story. I promise to update faster if you do :]


	2. Dirty Business

Chapter Two.

_Dirty Business_- The Dresden Dolls

* * *

**B.**

Approaching the coffee house door, I took in a long breath and released it. There was someone smoking next to the entrance, and I briefly considered asking her for a quick drag of her cigarette. I didn't smoke, but I'd heard they had a calming effect, and damn if I didn't need that right about now. I needed to take all I could get in preparation for what awaited me inside.

Someone coughed loudly behind me, then brushed passed and through the glass doors in a cloud of heady smoke.

_Damn._

Well, there goes that option. Smoker chick was already inside now, and from the sound of that cough, maybe I really didn't want that puff after all.

Before I could high tail it back across the street, or better yet, to my apartment, I grabbed hold of the door handle, and made way inside the familiar, rich-smelling establishment.

I spotted him almost immediately.

His unruly tufts of copper hair were like a shining beacon that could never get lost in a crowd. He hadn't noticed my arrival yet, as I was still near the entrance and partially hidden by a large wooden bookcase, so I felt safe taking all of him in for a moment. His hair was shorter than when I'd last seen him months ago, so he had to have gotten it cut quite short, shorter than usual, for it to only be this length now. Not a fan of this new length, I distracted myself with the certainty that if I ran my hands through it, it would be as soft and clean as ever. His tall, leanly muscled form was cloaked in an unfamiliar leather jacket, a tshirt of some sort, and tight, fitted jeans. I had no idea what the jacket was all about, it didn't really seem like him at all, but as my gaze landed on his converse-clad feet, I knew he was still the Edward I knew and loved underneath that unflattering, black leather exterior.

Feeling as though I had taken much more time openly studying him than I should, I averted my eyes to new-girl. Encased in an outfit that looked like it was ripped right off a J. Crew mannequin, new-girl looked like Chic, Country club Barbie incarnate. She had long, seemingly natural blonde hair that had been sculpted into an exceptionally neat ponytail that said 'this may be a casual coffee meeting, but I never do _just_ casual'. The rest of her appearance was just as immaculate. From her cardigan-covered shoulders and carefully cuffed designer jeans, to her trendy sandals and expensive-looking jewelry, her slender form spoke of a strong belief in class and a need for order and perfection.

I glanced at Edward again, before my eyes flitted back to Ms. Yacht Club supermodel.

_What the fuck was he doing with her?_

_And what the fuck was she doing with him?_

Well, the latter question wasn't so hard to figure out. Her tanned skin and rigid posture screamed high class and moneyed background, used to all the finer things in life. If she hadn't had her father's little black credit card from day one, she still would have gotten everything she wanted from her choice of any man. Begrudgingly, I had to admit that she was quite beautiful, and with great beauty came enormous privilege. Edward was the exact opposite.

And therein lied the draw.

Edward was the epitome of all that was artistic, dangerous, and alternative. His hair was always pointing in a million different directions, as he never bothered to brush it. His pale skin was consistently offset by some form of t-shirt, whether it be something from the thrift store, displayed a snarky comment, or showcased a beautiful illustration. Ever so often he would decide to shrug himself into one the many button-downs his sister Alice had bought for him over the years. Even then, it wasn't much of a decision, since his appearance in a collared shirt usually meant it was laundry day. His feet seemed to be permanently encased in the white converse I had gotten him for his sixteenth birthday; four years later they were still as clean as ever. He may have looked like an art kid, but he was an exceptionally clean and well-dressed one. Alice had seen to that. He was everything new-girl was not, everything her parents had probably steered her away from. Couple that probable fact with Edward's gorgeous face and roguish charm, and you had a solid answer as to why new-girl was interested.

As for what Edward saw in her, well, that I'd have to find out the hard way.

_Ugh_.

Spurred on by my curiosity, I stepped away from the cover of the bookcase, and started my slow, but steady march towards their table and what was most likely going to be a very awkward conversation.

* * *

**E.**

I had been all but ready to give up on Bella for the day, and suggest to Tanya that we leave and she meet Bella another time. I scanned the crowd surrounding us one last time, and my eyes were caught by an expanse of pale, creamy skin and navy blue cotton. I knew I shouldn't have been looking, but I figured it was pretty harmless.

And fuck if the soft skin and collarbones that sweater was revealing didn't make my mouth water and my cock twitch. I lowered my eyes from her v-neck down to the short jean skirt she was tugging on, and the gorgeous set of long legs she was using to make her way in my direction. Once my eyes reached her feet, I let out a small internal laugh.

_Hah_.

The shoes navy v-neck girl was wearing made a small grin crack across my face.

White converse.

Whoever this woman was, she was my kind of girl. Certainly Tanya was extremely attractive and she always dressed to the nines. I don't actually think she owned a pair of tennis shoes, let alone entertained wearing them for anything other than exercising. No, it was all high fashion and country club style with her, and I was fine with that, mostly. Clothes don't make the person, after all. But this girl, this blue-sweatered woman understood the beauty in simplicity. In nothing but a plain sweater, jean skirt, and converse, she had my heart speeding up in a way Tanya never did. She was intoxicatingly alluring.

Just as I was about to raise my eyes and study this beautiful woman's face, Tanya deftly interrupted me. She had caught me staring at another woman, and I just knew I was in for it.

"_Ugh_. You see her, too? Don't you just hate it when people don't put any effort into their appearances. I mean, _god_, what did she do, get dressed in the dark and then not bother to brush her hair? And look at those hideous shoes– I know you own the same kind, but someone needs to show her to the shoe store around the corner. Oh, sweetie, close your mouth and stop staring, we wouldn't want to put a dent in her already obviously low self-confidence."

_Jesus_.

I tore my eyes away from blue sweater girl to turn and look at Tanya. The stern look of strong disapproval, of the girl's clothing choices, not my blatant staring, told me she had absolutely no idea what kinds of thoughts were swirling around in my head while I had been looking. I was more than happy I dodged a bullet, but that verbal assault Tanya had just laid upon her was a bit upsetting. That was my girlfriend for you, though. It was nothing unusual for her to lay a fashion tongue-lashing upon unsuspecting victims we encountered throughout the day.

_Fucking fashion nazi_.

Declining to dignify Tanya's appraisal of the girl with a response, I turned back around to relocate her. She was finally nearing where we sat, and I could make a brief inspection of her face.

What I saw made me choke on the drool that had been collecting in my mouth since I laid eyes on her.

_Shit_.

* * *

**B.**

I somehow managed to make it to their table without incident, but Edward was not so lucky. He had started to sputter and cough loudly, seemingly choking on something. I didn't know what he could have swallowed, though. I had been watching him the entire way over and he hadn't taken a sip of his chai or anything like that. He had just sat and stared off into space. Classic sign of boredom. Apparently new-girl couldn't hold his attention for more than a few seconds at a time. _Figures_.

I didn't know exactly what to do to help, since new-girl was already patting him on the back in an effort to help him catch his breath, so I just stood their awkwardly while his coughing fit subsided. Once it had, I brought my eyes from the tiled floor up to meet his. His face was a mixture of something between pain, disbelief, and guilt.

_Strange_.

I wondered if new-girl had said something I had missed to cause that look, but before I could fully start into that train of thought, Edward finally spoke. It was a simple 'hey' said in a raspy, breathless version of his already attractive voice. I had to fight to keep my legs from collapsing at the sound. By some miracle of god, I stayed standing, but Edward wasn't getting up and he wasn't reaching in for one of the hugs we always exchanged. He just sat there staring at me with glazed over, wide eyes.

My heart felt like it had dropped to the floor and I no longer had any will to stand left. I pulled out an empty chair and slumped into it. I barely croaked out a hello before lapsing into silence with no clue at how to strike up a conversation.

_What the fuck was going on?_

_Why wasn't Edward saying anything?_

_

* * *

  
_

**E.**

_FUCK, FUCK, FUCK, FUCK!_

It was Bells.

Delicious blue v-neck girl was none other than Bella Swan.

It was fucking _Bella_!

_Fuck!_

I am so going to hell.

Clearly no one could get into heaven after thinking the very suggestive things about their platonic, totally non-sexual, trusting best friend that I had.

_Shit_.

I had been mindfucking the girl who was basically goddamn family. She was like a _sister_ to me. Apparently my cock disagreed with my mind's assessment of Bella as my non-sexual, virtual sister, since it continued to harden despite my efforts to calm down.

_I'm definitely a sick fuck_. It would only be so fitting if I died from this intense coughing fit I had started into. Tanya was rubbing my back, soothing me, asking me if I was going to be okay. And Bella was just standing there looking as awkward as ever… and fucking _sexy_ as hell.

_Fuck_. I had to stop thinking like that.

Tanya was my girlfriend. She was the sexy one.

Bella was just my best friend. She was… _cute_, at best.

_Ugh_. Who the fuck was I kidding?

Maybe it was the uncharacteristic clothes she was wearing, or maybe she had just grown into herself since the last time I saw her, but Bella was gorgeous. It was all I could do not to get up and hug her, press against her and let her know how much her appearance was appreciated.

_Ugh_, shit. My pants were now unbearably tight. There was absolutely no way I was getting up anytime soon. I shifted uncomfortably, trying to subtly adjust myself, before muttering a breathy hello to Bella. She looked a little confused and when I didn't get up to embrace her, that look quickly became a flash of hurt and disappointment.

Oh no…

_What was I supposed to do now?_

She looked like I had just kicked her puppy and it wasn't like I could do anything to fix it. I couldn't get up and give her the hug she wanted with a full salute in her honor tenting my pants. Mentally berating myself for having this kind of reaction to Bella, of all people, and consequently hurting her, I did the only thing I could do. I made introductions.

"Bells this is Tanya. Tanya, Bella Swan…"

Bella looked utterly lost for words, and Tanya had complete disbelief written across her features. She probably couldn't believe the girl with hideous shoes who got dressed in the dark was my best friend, someone I would willingly associate myself with. She quickly recovered, however, all those charm school lessons kicking in, and she extended her hand in Bella's direction.

"Hello Bella, it's so _nice_ to finally meet you."

_And so it began_.

* * *

A/N: Yay! I'm so excited that the response to EIETS and my other story has been so good so far. Thank you all for reading, reviewing, and adding me to your story alerts and favorites! Like I said before, reviewing makes me post faster, and with better chapters, so click the button before and leave me some feedback!

I think the length of this chapter will more or less be the average length of my posts, although some may be longer or shorter than others depending. I'm also gonna try and post pretty frequently through the first few chapters, and then I'll most likely update once a week, though I haven't made the final decision yet. Writing/posting two stories at the same time is kind of hard, we'll see how it goes.

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